ME Short Stories
by N7PhoenixFox
Summary: Short stories from the world of Mass Effect following Alexandra Shepard. Earthborn, Sole surviver, Vanguard. Redone and re-uploaded. Both Canon and non-canon musing. Romance Hurt/Cumfort Friendship Adventure Humour
1. Chapter 1

Redone and re-uploaded.

[1]

-My Eyes Are Drawn To Yellow Hair-

Garrus controlled his breathing, and eyed down his sight once more to view the Mercs who had gathered on the other side of the bridge. The bodies of his betrayed and murdered men on the floor below played on his mind. The back of his neck itched with the guilt, anger and the need for revenge. He would get out of it, even if it was barely alive and with only enough time to know Sidonis would go down with him.

At least he'd finally see her...

He ought to ring his family. The thought came to his mind, as it often did when he was alone and in one of those moods where the world wanted to swallow him whole.

Garrus hadn't contacted them since...well, defiantly not since he quit CSec for a second time after he got news of the Normandy going down. He'd sent a quick message to his sister, then caught the next transport off of the Citadel.

From his sight, it looked like they'd pulled back for a moment. He set his sniper down beside him, and pulled up his omni-tool. He hadn't spoken to his dad since the last time he'd left cSEC for the second time, two years ago... He hadn't spoken to many people after hearing the Normandy had gone down with her on it. He'd been angry at them for letting it happen.

And this was it. End of the line.

This was inevitable. This is where it was always leading after she was gone.

Only one loose end left to tie.

It rang, and just as he was about to chicken out and hang up - it answered and his dad's voice reached his ears.

"Garrus?" He said, and the son wondered if there was concern in there. He shook his head.

"Hi, dad," he said, and ducked his head as someone took a wild shot. It seemed the freelancers they'd hired weren't too good with a sniper.

"Garrus? Is that you? What's that noise?"

"Just a little target practice," the mask dimmed his sub-harmonics somewhat.

"...Then call me back later," his Father sounded resigned.

Garrus had to tell him the truth. No more running.

"I don't think I'll be able to do that. Too many targets."

"...I see," his father gave a gruff cough.

"I just wanted to hear your voice. Wanted to know how retirement was treating you. You good?" He tried to keep his tone light, he wasn't sure he succeeded.

"I'm fine. Forget about that," there was still a bite of command in his fathers tone. Garrus smiled, despite himself. That tone had often got his hackles up in the past. Now he was glad he just got to hear it one more time.

"Listen, I don't have a lot of time. I wanted to say...you were right about things. A lot more than I gave you credit for.

And I'm sorry we butted heads so much."

"I said forget about that. These targets you're practicing on - they're moving fast?" There was movement, like his father had leant forward in his chair.

"So far, not fast enough. But they're learning." Garrus took a look over the railings to see what they were doing. It wouldn't be long before all three groups figured out that they needed a united front to completely end him.

It was only their stubbornness to accept the others orders, and the indecision of just sending freelancers over that had given him more time.

"How are your thermal clips?"

"You know how it is. Could always use a couple more," it was a humourless joke.

"Work with what you've got, then. You don't stop pulling that trigger until it clicks, son."

Son. Yeah, it was nice to hear that.

"No matter how bad things are falling around you, as long as you have at least one bullet left, you can still get the job done. Understand?"

"You finish up what you have to do there, and then you come on home to Palaven. We have a lot to sort out."

He looked down the sight. Viewing the reinforcements. The scope went over yellow hair, and as he always did, he did a double take. His heart dropped, knowing it was foolish...but then he saw blue eyes, there were... scars on her face but he recognised it, would anywhere - and the red stripe of the N7 which she had always worn when they hunted Saren.

Impossible. He shook his head.

"Yellow hair...," he murmured, his voice a clash of mixed emotions.

His father was quiet for a moment.

"Garrus? You okay?"

The older turian would have been able to tell many things from his voice, and so Garrus cleared his throat. A smile played out on his mandibles.

"Yeah, we do. Thanks, dad. For everything.

I have to go now. Don't worry about me... I'll make it home when I can. The odds just got a lot better."

...

Pieces of speech taken from the Homeworlds comic. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it - background to a lot of the mass effect characters we love.


	2. Chapter 2

[2]

-Leaning Curve-

"A nice night, just the two of us...," Garrus had been saying or more like rambling. He couldn't help it, even after she had agreed to be 'a one turian kind of woman', he still got nervous sometimes. She made him feel things which were exhilarating, yet incredibly daunting at the same time. They were at war, and anything could happen...

"I would like that." Shepard had smiled.

A true smile which lit up her sapphire eyes and lessened the scars which plagued her when her emotions grew too much.

It was a few days into their shore leave. After the incident with the clone which had shaken her up pretty bad. He had been shocked when she'd offered a hand for the clone to live, but then he shouldn't have been. Shepard took the weight of worlds on her shoulders, placed herself in danger and was usually the one to pull the trigger - to take the guilt, the blame and the spot on her conscious. The clone living would have proved complicated, and yet she had still offered the woman life. Shepard wanted everyone to live, to never have to loose anything.

The deaths of Mordin and Thane had hit her hard. Many had suspected it had affected her deeply, but only those there from the beginning had been able to tell just how much. Spirits, the scientist and assassin were the only people she'd even talked much too during the time with Cerberus. If she wasn't in her cabin or with him, she had been drinking tea with Thane at a table in the Mess, or reading while Mordin worked in his lab.

Wrex had seen through her facade almost instantly. He would had been surprised by the Krogan's intuition, but he knew the two of them had been close friends on the SR1. Since the red plated Battlemaster had been on the citadel 'bumping heads with the council', he'd been round to see Shepard more times than Garrus could count. He was thankful for it, actually as she seemed to lighten up when he was around.

After the party, Shepard and himself had managed a few days of downtime. He stayed in the apartment Anderson had given her. He no longer owned his old apartment that he'd crashed in during his cSEC days, working on the citadel and he wouldn't have stayed in that small place even if he did. He wanted to be with her.

Shepard being as stubborn as she was, still insisted that Anderson would come back for it and so it didn't feel like they'd taken a huge step and moved in with one another. Not that he'd mind...but it almost felt like staying in a hotel, or going back to the parents house for a few weeks.

They'd been relaxed mostly. Spending the days shopping, or watching TV with the others. Her eyes had returned to normal. There were sometimes flashes of the cybernetic red when he left her too long to her thoughts, but he was glad that the blue was visible. Not that he minded the cybernetics, he simply missed the eyes which had taken him in back on the citadel tower all those years ago. Strange as they were, being human eyes and so unlike his own.

Not to mention it made Shepard uncomfortable. She said she looked too much like Saren when it happened. The rogue spectre who had killed himself in the end, after Shepard had managed to talk him into understanding what he'd done, what he could still do...

She had been startling to him back then, still was. Sure, he'd seen a lot of humans in his job with CSEC. They'd been new to seeing aliens, and so had he - Garrus recalled many of the council races being surprised at how diverse the humans were but he had noticed her the moment she'd stepped out of the elevator, Kaidan and Ash in tow.

Yellow hair. No, blonde is what they called it. The colour of the sun on Earth. He'd seen the shade only a handful of times before but hers had caught his eye. It was golden in places, feather light against her pale cheeks. Next to the black of her N7 armour, he'd been hard pressed not to turn his head completely from his Boss Pallin just to stare.

"Are you ready, big guy?" Her voice broke him from his thoughts. Shepard wore a dress he had bought her on one of their outings. It was green, and had been described to him as a 'summer dress' - short, to the knee and flowing. Kasumi had basically ushered them out of the doors for some fresh air, (Well, as close as you could get in a controlled atmosphere) then proceeded to pop up to give her opinion on clothes, or the menu at that cafe.

There had been plenty of stares, whispers and outright pointing but Shepard hadn't seemed to mind which meant he didn't either. She'd even taken his hand with her five fingered one, and he'd bent down to press his lip plates to her hair.

Pictures would not doubt end up in the news, and shouted to the council. Many would see it as a slight against their races - betraying those who fought in the First Contact war. Garrus thought that was ridiculous. The Normandy was a prime example of what the two races could do when they put their minds together.

"Are you okay?" Shepard leant up to place a hand lightly on his face. She liked his mandibles. It was a learning curve for both of them, but they still managed to discover things they found attractive about one another, and hell, even the others race. He found hair and lips to be something he couldn't live without. Hers in particular.

"Yeah," he came back to her. As his mandible twitched out to the side against her palm, she smiled and rubbed it with her thumb before removing her hand.

"Shall we go?" She asked, moving her hand to his arm. Shepard only seemed to be indecisive when it came to him. She wanted to know he was okay with her choices, and Garrus secretly liked taking more control of their relationship - doing things for her, planning dates and taking some of the weight in small ways which she refused to release on her own.

He nodded. "The cab should be hear soon."

As they headed down from the bedroom they shared, Garrus bent to place a version of their kisses to her temple. She squeezed him arm in return, his mandibles flickered with a smile.


	3. Chapter 3

[3]

-A Hug For The End-

Shepard ran a hand through her hair and sighed loudly into the empty elevator. It took all her strength not to pace the small space with her agitation and worry.

When the door opened to reveal Huerta Memorial hospital, Shepard regained herself. Straightened her back and did her best to keep a neutral expression.

She'd received word from Thane that he'd tried to contact her while she'd been bound to Earth for six months. Shepard hurried across the floor and saw him by the window. The familiar green of his scaled skin, and his postured back as he practiced hits in the air.

Ignoring doctor Michelle's eyes, she started for her friend. He paused in his exercise as she approached, and lowered his arms.

"Shepard," he greeted, a smile on his lips as he looked at her over his shoulder.

A small answering smile tugged at her tense features. "Thane," she was honestly glad to see him. "Should have known you would have heard me coming."

"I know your steps well, Shepard," he returned, moving to face her.

"Is that a subtle way of telling me I intruded on your space too much, Thane?" She laughed, short and sweet but it seemed to put him at ease somewhat.

"Not at all Shepard," he shifted his hands behind his back. "I enjoyed our talks." There was a brief pause. "How are you feeling? I heard about Earth, and have seen the biotic in intensive care."

Shepard let out another sign. "It was...it was bad. Hardest thing I've ever done to leave but, it had to be done. Can't win the war on our own. And his name is Kaidan. He was hurt on Mars, protecting us."

Thane's eyes calmed her somewhat. He tilted his head as if he understood. "I will look out for him."

"Thank you," Shepard breathed. She felt better knowing Thane looked out for him. Kaidan and her were still strained, but she didn't wish any ill on him. Couldn't help but worry while he was bed ridden.

"How about you, Thane? How are you feeling? And Kolyat too?" Shepard stepped up to his side, so they both stood by the window and artificial light shinning in. She reached out hesitantly to brush his shoulder.

Shepard was by no means a touchy-feely person but with no one knowing how much time they had left, she found herself seeking physical contact from those she cared about. Outside of combat situations. Thane did not seem to mind.

"Kolyat is well. Being on the citadel means I am able to see him often, when he is not working. As for my health... Well, I have made peace with the gods, and am grateful for the time I have left to make it up to my son."

Shepard nodded. A small frown marred between her brows. "Are you in pain? It's good that you and Kolyat are healing old wounds. He is a good kid."

"It is... Painful sometimes, yes. I had an attack, it scared Kolyat and so it is best that I stay here."

"Oh, Thane," Shepard felt emotions clog her throat.

"The Doctors gave me months to live sometime ago, Shepard. I have been given much more time. We both knew I would eventually die."

"Yes," there was a pained smile on her lips as she looked up at him. "But that does not make it any easier."

He looked out to the window. "I know," he replied, after a moment of silence. Shepard shook her head, she wasn't helping him being this way. She needed to be strong.

"Whenever we are docked, I will come to see you," she told him, conviction in her voice.

He glanced to her and smiled. "I would like that, but do not go out of your way for me."

Shepard shook her head. "Don't say that. I want to see you. Garrus too."

"Very well," Thane nodded. "It would be pleasant to speak with Garrus again, also."

There was a beeping on her omni tool. A message for her to return to the Normandy. She read it, then closed her tech. "I had hoped to see Kaidan."

"I will speak to him of your visit, if you wish," Thane faced her once more.

Shepard nodded. "Thank you again, Thane. I should go."

Shepard moved to leave, but then thought better of it. Her heart twisted in her chest at the thought of loosing her close friend. She turned and before she could talk herself out of it, she grasped the Drell around the waist and pressed her face into his shoulder. Thane seemed stunned for a moment, before returning the gesture. Light hands on her back and shoulder.

She was glad he didn't push her away.

"If you...when...," she cleared her throat as she stepped back. "I will look out for Kolyat."

She didn't need to say anything more. When Thane was no longer here, she would make sure his son did not loose his path again.

She took his hands in hers. Soft and yet callus like her own. Her fingers brushed over his middle ones which were connected. Shepard did not fear the blood which had been split by them, and she gave them a squeeze.

Thane's dark eyes held a wealth of emotion on those moments. "Thank you, Alexandra." The first time he'd used her given name.

She turned to leave, his hands slipping from hers but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "You have been a dear friend. I will not forget you, Shepard."

"And I will not forget you, Thane," she gave him a watery smile and started for the elevator.

Never, never would she forget him.

...

Hope I managed to pull this off well. It is a difficult topic.


	4. Chapter 4

[4]

-Bad habit-

Wreav released his shotgun to aim past her and Wrex to Mordin. They were surrounded, and the sight of the Krogan pointing at weapon at her friend who was clearly nervous set her teeth on edge.

Without much thought, Shepard stepped between the barrel of the shotgun and the Salarian Doctor. Her shoulders back, she almost dared the Krogan to let loose the trigger while she stood there.

Thankfully, Wrex stood in before she could test the durability of her shield. The clan leader slammed his heavy plated head into his brood brothers. The sound always send her heart beating wilding in her chest. Such a crack - they were incredibly strong, and could take a hit.

That was why they needed them to face the Reapers. She'd never seen any other race, or solider that was as formidable as a Krogan. Not even the Yagh.

Not only that, since the very first time she'd spoken to Wrex about his race dying out - she'd wanted to somehow help. She hadn't known how at the time of chasing Saren, but when her old friend came to her asking for a cure to the Genophage, Shepard had accepted not only because she had little choice if she wanted to support Earth and Palaven. And if they were going to war, they would need to be able to reproduce, lest their race be wiped out.

Eve stepped in just in time, when it appeared the males were going to come to blows again. Shepard felt her fingers twitch to reach for her pistol, hoping to all the Gods that it didn't come to a fire-fight. There were bigger things to worry about than a Salarian on their home world.

As the female Krogan talked everyone down, Shepard felt herself release a breath. It was then that she felt a slight touch on her shoulder. Her head snapped around from adrenaline to find Mordin watching her with his dark eyes.

"Your actions were unnecessary, Shepard." He told her, and he used that tone when he was perhaps telling her off at the same time.

She tilted her head. "What did I do?"

"Placed yourself between myself and the barrel. Uncalled for. Reckless. Galaxy needs you."

Shepard shook her head. "And you are needed too, Mordin. Not to mention you are my friend." She reached up to squeeze his shoulder slightly. "The Krogan need you. We can't leave without that cure, and you're the only one who can do it. A chance to right wrongs."

Mordin nodded, after a thought. "Bad habit, Shepard. Putting yourself in danger, for others. Know you will not change, however. That is what makes you who you are, suppose."

Shepard smiled. Wrex was moving again, and soon they were following in his wake.

Too bad she couldn't protect Mordin completely that day. The last sight of him in the elevator, before it ascended, she would never forget it.

Not for as long as she lived.


End file.
